Coating composition comprising a vinyl chloride polymer dispersed in a mixture of plasticizer and an alkyl ether of a mono- or diethylene glycol



Patented Feb. 9, 1954 COATING COMPOSITION COMPRISING A VINYL CHLORIDE POLYMER DISPERSED IN A MIXTURE F PLASTICIZERAND AN .ALKYL ETHER OF A MONO- ETHYLENE GLYCOL OR DI- Arthur Charles Schultz, Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pa., assignor to Stoner-Mudge, inc 1Rittsbutgh,. 2a., a corporationof; Pennsyl- Nania No'Drawing. Application April 21,1953, :Serial No. 350,220

,5 Claims.

This invention relates to. improved solid polyvinyl resin coatings and liquid polyvinyl resin dispersion compositions, particularly for ultimate use in coating metal objects such as tools, pipe, tubing and wire used for electrical con ductors and other purposes. This application isacontinuation impart. (if any application Serial No. 164,035, filed May 24, 1950, and later abandoned.

An =object of .my invention :is to provide a harder and more abrasion-resistant coating for wire, which Iaccomplish by using lower proportion of chemical wplasticizer in combination with ,the .polyvinyl .resin than .has been possible heretofore in compositions of this type known to theart.

'It is a furtherobiect of .my invention ito provide .a coating composition which retains its fluid or liquid: properties substantially unchanged on aging in :thegfluidstate, so as 2130 be readily applicable as :a liquid :coating tometal surfaces and to yield thereafter on bakingga hard, tough film of uniform thickness,

.Polyvinyl resin coatingsyinwhich@the resin :is actually dissolvediin suitable solvent mixtures-0i ketones, esters .andaromatic hydrocarbonsiare well; knonnand: are; adaptableito a Widevariety' of ceating applications. Typical .ci such solutiontype coatings based ,primarilyon film-forming thermoplasticpolymers andcopolymers of vinyl and vinylidenehalides-alone or conjo-intly with vinyl esters, are those described in U. S. Patents 2,224,9 i4, 2,293,413, 2,299,433, 2,32%,078 and 2,337,424, for example. The polyvinyl resins em- ;plovedin suflhssolutioncoatings; are of sufficiently low molecular weight 110,000 to-45,000 and are consequently of sufficiently high solubility, to permit formulating into solutions of workable viscosity (50. to 1000 centipoises) ,at between and percent by weight of film-forming resin solids. However, such solutions have thedisad vantage that from approximately ,2 ,to- 6, pounds oicost ly solvent are required forthe application of 1 pound-of vinyl resin- These lower molecu lar weight resins themselves have a certain deficiency as film-forming materials, in not possessing the toughness, ductility and tensile strength which characterize the higher molecular weight vinyl polymersand copolymers. 7 These latterresins, however, ,dOiD-Qt lend themselves to the formulationlof solution coatings, because of their=veryi1owsolubility in ketone and ester sol-1 vents.

To circumventthis-matter of low solubility'and at the same'time to obtain the desirable propi2 erties suchastoughness, highmesistance to tear, and high tensile strength which characterize films oi'vinyl polymerand-copolymer resins having molecular weights ranging *from about 45,000

up to or in excess-of 160,000, recourse has been,

ing convertedintosolidplastics-orfilms by Sim ply heating to the point of -mutual solubilityof the resin and plasticizer. These thermoplastic polyvinyl resin dispersions, which rthetart iterms plastisols, and of which the i compositionsnisclosed in U. S. Patent 2,497,045 for example, are typical, are ingeneral notapplieableto,specialized purposes such as the coating (of wire ,and other metalobjects where the finished coating must possessan extremely high degree ottough ness, abrasion resistance and resistance .todenting or marring. The non-applicability of .plastisol films as they havehad to,b,e formulated ,before the-present invention, :results from theifact that so high a proportion of plasticizerto resin is required to .provide a fluid or semiefluiddispersion, that the final fused film is iundesirably soft, rubbery, and seriously lacking -.in.abrasion resistance. And this deficiency has materially limited the utility of thepresently,knownplastisol coating compositions.

I have for convenienceusedithe.term .poly vinyl resin to describe the essential ,filmforming ingredient ,otmy coating compositions. .ThiS is a term familiar to theart; .andit will hennderstood that I mean to include thesolidthermoplastic polymers, and ,copolymers derived from vinyl chloride and .vinylidene,chloridfipalone or conjointly with a lower fatty acid ester .of ,vinyl alcohol. of which .vinyl acetate is ,mosticommonly employed. In all .of these, .vinyl chloride .is usually the predominating monomer, as is well known.

For example, the conventional two-component plastisols, consisting of a plasticizer and apolyvinyl resin, require the use ,of .from 40 ,to 150 parts of plasticizer to, each .100 parts .of .polyvinyl resin, theusual proportionsranging from to 120 parts of plasticizer to parts-cf resin. This high proportioncf plasticizer .is necessary in-order to obtain, in the first .placapropergmw tual salvation of resin and :plasticizer :on .heating to form a solid plastic, butzmore particularly in order to obtain in the :fiuid =state viscosities sufficiently low :to enable ,the liquid comever, desirable physical properties, such as high durometer hardness and abrasion resistance. And the manner in which such compositions can beobtained in fluid form instead of as semipowdery and crumbly masses, so that they are suitable for commercial application to diverse surfaces such as those presented by plain or fabric covered wire to provide electrical insulating coatings, is a principal object of my invention, as will hereinafter be detailed.

TABLE I Two-component Plastz'sol compositions (employing Geon 121 resin and di-octyl sebacate) Composition Number (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) Resin to Plasticizer Ratio /55 /50 /40 /35 /30 72/28 71/23 79/21 85/15 89/11 Parts of Plasticizer to 100 Parts Resi 11 122 100 67 54 43 39 30 26 18. 5 12. 3 Viscosity 80 F. (Brookjield #4 Spludle 30 R. P. M.) (Centipoises) 300 500 1, 000 3, 000 13, 500 100, 000 Hardness: Shore A" Durometer 50 60 70 77 (87) (91) (92) (95) (98) 1 No fluid plastisol obtained; dry and powdery mass only.

when initially prepared of about 1000 centipoises. However, a heat-converted solid film of this composition has a Shore A durometer hardness value of only about 70, due to its high plasticizer content; it does not possess all of the properties required for specialized coating applications, particularly where a high degree of hardness and abrasion-resistance are needed as in electrical wire insulation. In such specialized application, hardness values of 85 to 93 durometer are much to be preferred, and may be absolutely mandatory.

To obtain solid films having hardness values approximating 85 durometer, it is necessary that not more than 43 to 45 parts of plasticizer to 100 parts of polyvinyl resin be employed. But such a two-component composition has a viscosity of approximately 13,000 centipoises and is therefore much too viscous to be applied in economical filmweights by available means of application.

Furthermore, to obtain plastisols films having hardness values in the order of to durometer (which is the optimum range for electrical wire insulation) it is necessary to employ still lower proportions of plasticizer, as will be evident by referring to Table I, from which it will be noted that to obtain a hardness value of 90 durometer requires the use of no more than about 30 parts of plasticizer to parts of resin; while to obtain a hardness value of 95 durometer requires the use of no more than about 18 parts of plasticizer to 100 parts of resin. Table I lists the viscosities of plastisol compositions (a) to (f) inclusive and the hardness values of heatsolidified films of these same compositions, as I have determined them by experiment, where the proportions of plasticizer are varied from 122 down to 39 parts per 100 parts of resin. Also shown are the hardness values (in parentheses) of mixtures of the same resin and plasticizer after intimate mixing and careful heating, wherein the proportions of plasticizer are varied from 30 down to 12.3 parts per 100 parts of resin. However, such mixtures have only very limited utility since they are not fluid compositions nor even coherent pastes, but rather they are semi-powdery mixtures of resin particles incompletely wetted with plasticizer. The plastic masses resulting from the application of pressure to these powdery masses, in combination with heat, carefully controlled to avoid scorching, do have, how- To overcome the powdery characteristics of masses like those of compositions (g) to (7') inclusive shown in Table I, it has in the past been proposed to add as a third ingredient, a liquid diluent to convert such dry masses into fluid or semi-fluid form, suitable for application as coatings. For this purpose, such diluents have been employed as aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones such as diisobutyl ketone which have relatively little solvent action on the polyvinyl resin at room temperature, esters and ether-' esters such as octyl acetate, Cellosolve acetate, and mixtures of such materials. Although these diluents may provide the necessary fluidity, they have the serious disadvantage for many applications, of evaporating from the wet and unfused coating before the resin and plasticizer have been intersolvated by heat, with the result that the coating becomes powdery on the surface, or that it develops cracks and fissures in the surface (commonly referred to as mud.- cracking), which further baking alone will not correct; nor does the further application of heat produce a homogeneous film or heat-solidified coating free of these defects.

In general, the diluents commonly employed for this purpose have boiling points below 200 C. They are completely unsuitable as diluents in dispersions for such specialized applications as the coating of wire to provide electrical insulation, where relatively high temperatures of baking, such as 205 to 400 C., and relatively short times of baking such as 10 to 200 seconds are employed, because their rapid rate of evaporation from the surface of the still un-fused dispersion prevents the complete and uniform fusion of the resin and plasticizer. The resultant surfacepowdering fouls the coating-thickness regulatingguides through which the dispersion-coated metal wire or fabric is passed prior to entering the baking oven, in commercial manufacturing processes.

Nor is a boiling point higher than 200 C. all that is necessary to characterize a diluent with satisfactory properties for my purposes. For example, some of the high boiling lcetones, and ether-alcohols such as isophorone (B. P. 209 C.) and the phenyl ether of di-ethylene glycol (B. P. 245 C.) are not satisfactory diluents for these low-plasticizer content dispersons, because they exert a deleterious solvent action on the polyvinyl resin even at room temperatures, which results in undesirable thickening, and -viscosities above the range-desirable for automati'c machine application. This solvent action may even cause gelling or premature "solidification of the dispersion, thus completely destroying its utility as a coating composition.

Diverse -other diluent liquids, regardless of their boiling point, may have other undesirable effects, such as preferentially wetting the resin particles in the dispersions and thus interfering with the proper-intersolvation of resin and plasticizer when theeoating is solidified =hyi'heat; or they maybe of sucha naturethat areheld in the solidifying mass until a critical :tempera ture is reached whereupon theyarervaporizeclor released suddenly, causing the formation-of .;blistersor blow-holes.

I have discovered certain liquid substances which possess the required propertiesof satis- 'factory'diluentfor polyvinyl resin plasticizer dispersion compositions wherein the proportion of plasticizer to resin-is vat least'7 parts but not more than '43 parts of plasticizer' per :lillhparts 'of polyvinyl resin. These substances are .(a) :the alkyl ethers of diethylene glycol whereinthesald alkyl radical :contains at least .4 .carbongatoms butinotnnore than 10,:and ('b) 'theallsyl 'ethers of monoethylene glycol wherein the 'alkyl iradical contains at :least acarbon atomshutmotmore than l0. The butyl others-of diethylene glycol are the present preferred ,diluents for the purpose of myinventionzdibutyl:ether of diet-hylene glycol GB. P. approx. 255 'C.) being the first choice and .monobutyl ether of .diethylene glycol .03. P. approx. 230 C.) being the :second tier a reasons .hereinafterzexplained in-rnore detail). Otherdiluents .for the purposes, of my invention are, .for example, n-hexyl ,ether of :diethyiene :glycol (B. .P. approx. 252 CL), .-2-;ethylthexyl :ether ofsdiethylene glyeolxBP. at 2:3 mm. approx. 158 C.), octyl ether of ethyleneglycol tBhP. approx.

The general formula for .the gdilucnts suitable .for the purpose of my inventionis:

,the group consisting of those alkyl radicals :pos-

sessing at leastu l but noemore than carbon atoms, and characterized by thetfact that they ihave boiling points above :at :least 205 C. at

atmospheric pressure, .and Y .is either hydrogen -(as, ifor example, in the case of monobutyl-ether of qcliethylene glycol) or is selected from the group fromwhicn-Risselected (aster-example, v vinithe caseof dibutyl ,ether or diethylcne glycol) Differently phrased, my ,diluents are the alkyl ethers of mono and diethylene glycol in which the alkyl radicalpossesses at least 4 but no more than 10 carbon :atoms, boiling ahoyeeat :least 1205? {0.

In the preferred three-component polyvinyl :resin dispersions of my invention, the combined.

plastioizer and {diluent comprises at least but preferably'not more than of the total fiuid-dispersion (consisting ofaplasticizer, diluent :and resin) in-order to yield fluid compositions having initial viscosities helow'35ll0 centipoises. .These are :suitable for application to surfaces such asmetalzwire and similar objectsandafter heats-solidification with accompanying expulsion "of the diluent which results from halting the applied coating at suitably high temperatures ifor *theatimes required to drive-out substantially all of the diluent, they'yield plastic coverings having hardness values above :about 'durometer, as well as'other desirable properties such ashigh abrasion-resistance and resistance to marring and scuifing. Atthe same-timetthey have excellent fiexibility, toughness and film-continuity, and are'free of bubbles, blisters, pits, dusting, cracking and other film defects. I have found that these desirable filmxproperties can be obtained by bakingthe fluid polyvinyl resin dispersions ot-my invention at temperatures ranging from about 205 to 400 C., for times-suflicient to expel the diluent, usually from about 10 to 200 seconds. In my fluiolxcompositions I prefer that the proportionof combined .diluent and plasticizer to resin should be at least as parts but preferablynot more than-67 parts of diluentplasticirer to 190 parts by weight of polyvinyl resin. Thus'the combined diluent and. plasticizer constitute from33ito 40 per cent by weight of the total dispersion.

In my preferred sfluid compositions, I have established that theiplasticizer should constitute at least 15 by weight of theplasticizer-diluent portion but that lit :shouldnot exceed 85% of the plastieizendiluent portion, by Weight.

The following examples presented for convenience in-Table II employing a typical polyvinyl chloride resin (Geon 121 made by B. F. Good rich'Cheinical Company), a typical plastieizer (di-octylsebacate) -.and a typical preferred diluent (monobutyl ether ofldiethylene glycol) i1 lnstrate the compositions'of my invention. The viscosities ofthe fluid. compositions are shown in centipoises as .determinedlby the BT001fl1d viseosimeter, usingaNo. l spindle. and-a speed of 30 R. P. The hardnessvalues, shown inshore A durometer units, were determined onheat-solidilied diluent-free 'films DOE-.010 inch thick, 0btained'hy baking thecorresponding fluid compo-- sitions on metal at 2 l5 C. forl80 seconds:

TABLE II Illustrative examples Example No .1

Resin (Parts by wt.) Ilasticizcr (Parts by wt) i Diluent (Parts by ,wt.) Parts of Plast. to Parts Resin 7 Total Parts of Plast, plus Dil. to lili) Parts Resin Fluid Viscosity (Centipoises) 1,40 Durometcr Hardness oi SolialFilm 95 having substantially the same average molecular weights and intrinsic aviscosities as the terialis known :as the Vinylite VFJNRI series, may he successfully employed either separately or in admixture with each other, as; itheresin {Z5 component :in the compositions of. my invention.

Typical of such other satisfactory resinousmaa terials is Goon 202, a vinyl chloride-vinylidene chloride co-polymer made by B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company, having a specific gravity of 1.41 and a specific viscosity of 0.40 (0.4% solution in nitrobenzene at (3.). Geon 121, used in the examples of Tables I and II, is a polyvinyl chloride resin, made by this same manufacturer; it has a specific gravity of 1.40 and a specific viscosity of 0.67 (0.4% solution in nitrobenzene at 20 0.).

low volatility, non-flammability, low temperature flexibility, non-tacky properties, absence of odor, non-migration, non-toxicity, and water insolubility.

The examples of Table II show the use of monobutyl ether of diethylene glycol as the diluent component, but other liquid diluents having boiling points above 205 C. and respon sive to my generalized formula for my diluent also may be successfully employed. For example, dibutyl ether of ethylene glycol is interchangeable with monobutyl ether of diethylene glycol for the purposes of my invention except that the former, unlike the latter, is insoluble in water and hence does not tend to impair the electrical insulation qualities of a coating under wet conditions where relatively quick baking has left traces of the diluent in the final coating. And although I prefer to use the alkyl-ethers of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol having boiling points at atmospheric pressure of at least 205 C. alone, I have also successfully employed combinations of these ether-alcohols with such other high boiling liquids as trimethyl nonanone and tetra-hydronaphthalene, in relatively minor amounts.

Although I have for convenience and simplicity described the compositions of my invention as three-component, it should be understood that I am here referring to the three necessary and basic ingredients: resin, plasticizer and diluent. I

In addition to these three components, I may in specific cases employ other materials not aifecting the invention; e. g., (l) dyes, pigments, fillers and colors to yield clear or opaque, white or colored baked out films; (2) thermal stabilizers such as the inorganic and organic compounds of lead'and tin, as well as other materials to minimize or prevent thermal and actinic deem.-- pcsition of the compositions on baking and exposure to light; and (3) waxes and oils to modify the surface characteristics of the baked compositions.

While I have described certain present preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be recognized that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A fluid resin dispersion, capable of being spread upon a surface and thereafter fused by heating into a hard, stable, continuous, tough and abrasion-resistant coating, comprising resin, plasticizer and diluent, said resin, plasticizer and diluent consisting of (1) solid thermoplastic polyvinyl resin having an average molecular weight in excess of 45,000 and made from vinyl chloride in major amount, (2) plasticizer for the said resin, and (3) diluent selected from the group consisting of the alkyl ethers of mono and diethylene glycol in which the alkyl radical possesses at least 4 but no more than 10 carbon atoms and having a boiling point above at least 205 C., in which the combined Weight of the said plasticizer and diluent is from 33 to 40 per cent of the combined weight of said resin, plasticizer and diluent, and wherein the weight of said diluent is 15 to per cent of the combined weight of said diluent and plasticizer.

2. A fluid resin dispersion, capable of being spread upon a surface and thereafter fused by heating into a hard, stable, continuous, tough and abrasion-resistant coating, comprising resin, plasticizer and diluent, said resin, plasticizer and diluent consisting of 1) solid thermoplastic polyvinyl resin having an average molecular weight in excess of 45,000, having a specific gravity of 1.40 and a specific viscosity, at 0.4% solution in nitrobenzene at 20 0., of 0.67, and made from vinyl chloride in major amount, (2) plasticizer for the said resin, and (3) diluent selected from the group consisting of the alkyl ethers of mono and diethylene glycol in which the alkyl radical possesses at least 4 but no more than 10 carbon atoms and having a boiling point above at least 205 0., in which the combined weight of the said plasticizer and diluent is from 33 to 40 per cent of the combined weight of said resin, plasticizer and diluent, and wherein the weight of said diluent is 15 to 85 per cent of the combined weight of said diluent and plasticizer.

3. A fluid resin dispersion, capable of being spread upon a surface and thereafter fused by heating into a hard, stable, continuous, tough and abrasion-resistant coating, comprising'resin, plasticizer and diluent, said resin, plasticizer and diluent consisting of (1) solid thermoplastic polyvinyl resin having an average molecular weight in excess of 45,000 and made from vinyl chloride in major amount, (2) plasticizer for the said resin, and (3) diluent selected from the group consisting of the butyl ethers of diethylene glycol, in which the combined weight of the said plasticizer and diluent is from 33 to 40 per cent of the combined weight of said resin, plasticizer and diluent, and wherein the weight of said diluent is 15 to 85 per cent of the combined weight of said diluent and plasticizer.

4. A fluid resin dispersion, capable of being spread upon a surface and thereafter fused by heating into a hard, stable, continuous, tough and abrasion-resistant coating having a Shore A durometer hardness of at least 85, comprising resin, plasticizer and diluent, said resin, plasticizer and diluent consisting of (1) solid thermoplastic polyvinyl resin having an average molecular weight in excess of 45,000, having a specific gravity of 1.40 and a specific viscosity, at 0.4% solution in nitrobenzene at 20 0., of 0.67, and made from vinyl chloride in major amount, (2) di-octyl sebacate as the plasticizer for the said resin, and (3) diluent selected from the group consisting of the butyl ethers of diethylene glycol, in which the combined weight of the said plasticizer and diluent is from 33 to 40 per cent of the combined weight of said resin, plasticizer and diluent, and wherein the weight of said diluent is 15 to 85 per cent of the combined weight of said diluent and plasticizer.

5. As a coating composition, a fluid resin dispersion, capable of being spread upon a surface and thereafter fused by heating into a hard, stable, continuous, tough and abrasion-resistant coating, in which the combined resin, plasticizer and diluent components consist of (1) 65 parts by weight of a polyvinyl chloride resin having an average molecular weight in excess oi 45,000 further characterized by having a specific gravity of 1.40 and a specific viscosity, at 0.4 per cent solution in nitrobenzene at 20 C., of 0.67, (2) 12 parts by weight of di-octyl sebacate as the plasticizer ingredient, and (3) 23 parts by weight of diluent selected from the group consisting" of the butyl thers of diethylene glycol.

ARTHUR CHARLES SCHULTZ.

No references cited. 

1. A FLUID RESIN DISPERSION, CAPABLE OF BEING SPREAD UPON A SURFACE AND THEREAFTER FUSED BY HEATING INTO A HARD, STABLE, CONTINUOUS, TOUGH AND ABRASION-RESISTANT COATING, COMPRISING RESIN, PLASTICIZER AND DILUENT, SAID RESIN, PLASTICIZER AND DILUENT CONSISTING OF (1) SOLID THERMOPLASTIC POLYVINYL RESIN HAVING AN AVERAGE MOLECULAR WEIGHT IN EXCESS OF 45,000 AND MADE FROM VINYL CHLORIDE IN MAJOR AMOUNT, (2) PLASTICIZER FOR THE SAID RESIN, AND (3) DILUENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE ALKYL ETHERS OF MONO AND DIEHTYLENE GLYCOL IN WHICH THE ALKYL RADICAL POSSESSES AT LEAST 4 BUT NO MORE THAN 10 CARBON ATOMS AND HAVING A BOILING POINT ABOVE AT LEAST 205* C., IN WHICH THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF THE SAID PLASTICIZER AND DILUENT IS FROM 33 TO 40 PER CENT OF THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF SAID RESIN, PLASTICIZER AND DILUENT, AND WHEREIN THE WEIGHT OF SAID DILUENT IS 15 TO 85 PER CENT OF THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF SAID DILUENT AND PLASTICIZER. 